| |
|
Monday, September 12, 2005
|
|
Colorado Supremes rule against The Independent Shareholders Group and High Plains A&M
This is a big deal for you water nuts out there. According to the Rocky Mountain News, two private companies that bought up water from the Arkansas River in southeastern Colorado suffered a setback yesterday when the Colorado Supreme Court ruled their plans to resell the water were too ambiguous [September 13, 2005, "High court against shifting water from farms to cities"]. From the article, "In upholding an earlier water court decision, the Supreme Court told High Plains A&M and its partners they would have to be more specific about who would be purchasing the water and how it would be used. The court said such details are needed to comply with Colorado's anti-speculation doctrine and to ensure that other water owners would not be harmed...
"Curtis said Colorado courts have previously applied the anti-speculation doctrine only in cases where new water rights are being established, not in cases where an existing water rights' use is being changed.
"Under Colorado law, water can be bought and sold, but all transactions must be evaluated in special water courts. There, those who might have concerns about a transaction can weigh in to make sure their own water rights won't be harmed by the change in ownership and in this case, the change in use from agricultural to municipal.
"In legal filings, High Plains had said water from the Fort Lyons Canal could be used in 28 counties along the Front Range and that the company had held "conversations" with at least 14 entities interested in purchasing it. But the company did not specify a buyer.
"Curtis said his clients and their partners control up to 120,000 acre-feet of water in the canal, or about one-third of its supplies. According to the urban rule of thumb, that's enough water to serve about 240,000 homes.
"The historic 150-mile canal irrigates about 93,000 acres of farmland in southeastern Colorado."
Category: Colorado Water
6:31:17 PM 
|
|
Katrina
Here's the link to the IRS guide Hurricane Katrina: Information on Charitable Giving, Tax-Relief Issues. Thanks to beSpacific for the link.
Wall Street Journal, "But now it is known that major levee breaks occurred much earlier than that, starting in the morning of Monday, Aug. 29, the day Hurricane Katrina made landfall. Even as the storm veered off and many observers felt a sense of relief, the Industrial Canal levee in eastern New Orleans was giving way, and a rush of water swiftly submerged much of the Lower Ninth Ward and areas nearby, trapping thousands of people on rooftops and in attics. The 17th Street Canal levee also was breached early Monday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers now believes, resulting in a slower-rising flood over a larger area. Yet it wasn't until Tuesday that most people across the country, apparently including Mr. Chertoff, realized that any levees at all had been breached. Did media outlets get it wrong, as Mr. Chertoff claimed? Some did, some didn't."
7:02:46 AM
|
|
TABOR
The Denver Post is running a series about TABOR. Here's Part I [September 12, 2005, "The truth about TABOR"]. From the article, "The ratchet occurs when revenues drop below the previous year's spending. TABOR then restricts spending growth to that lower amount. Even if the economy rebounds quickly, spending can only grow from that new, lower base line at the rate of inflation plus state population growth."
Here's an article detailing arguments around Referendums C and D from the Denver Post [September 12, 2005, "Budget woes are in eye of beholder"].
The Denver Post lists some of the history behind TABOR and it's author, Douglas Bruce in part II of their series [September 12, 2005, "Bruce is still on a mission"]. From the article, "In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Bruce led a six-year campaign to add the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights to the state constitution. In 1992, Bruce's persistence paid off when a majority of the state's voters agreed to lock the tough spending limits of the bill known as TABOR into the constitution. In November, voters will be asked to "de-Bruce" some of those ties that bind state government."
The Denver Post looks at how Referendum C playing out across the country [September 12, 2005, "Rest of nation keeps close eye on fate of TABOR"]. From the article, "TABOR supporters have held the constitutional amendment up as a model to be emulated. Opponents have pointed to Colorado's problems as harbingers of things to come if TABOR passes in other states. In fact, most other states considering tax limitations have removed or softened the TABOR provision that has put Colorado in a bind. The 'ratchet effect' prevents Colorado state revenues from rebounding from recession as quickly as the economy recovers."
Category: Denver November 2005 Election
6:37:36 AM
|
|
Protests for Genesee Dam
 The Genesee Water and Sanitation District is planning a new dam, according to the Denver Post [September 12, 2005, "Dam site draws complaints"]. From the article, "The Genesee Water and Sanitation District intends to build a 100- foot-tall concrete dam and reservoir this spring off Colorado 74 between Kittredge and Idledale, across from Lair o' the Bear Park. The reservoir will store water for residents of Genesee, an affluent foothills community perched above Bear Creek Canyon. Other dam opponents say the project could be built for half the price at a different location that was ruled out by the district. District officials, however, say the current site's proximity to its intake pipe on Bear Creek and the water treatment plant makes it the best option."
Here's an opinion piece in favor of pumping water upstream from Green Mountain Reservoir to Dillon Reservoir from the Denver Post [September 11, 2005, "Water idea should spark discussion"]. They write, "water managers on the Front Range (where most Coloradans live) and the Western Slope (where most of the water comes from) are discussing a plan that would allow metro Denver to take more water over the Continental Divide. The mere face of such talks is progress. The plan envisions taking water from Green Mountain Reservoir south of Kremmling and pumping it 25 miles uphill to Dillon Reservoir. From there, the Denver Water Department's existing network of pipes and tunnels would bring the water into the metro area. But Denver might not be the only beneficiary."
Category: Colorado Water
6:23:38 AM
|
|
|
© Copyright 2009 John Orr.
Last update: 3/14/09; 7:45:56 PM.
|
|
|
